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About

Wyke Stommel is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), specializing in conversation analysis and the social dynamics of communication with robots. Her work focuses on how people naturally interact with robots, particularly in task-oriented settings and around sensitive topics like gender. A major contribution is her analysis of miscommunication and repair strategies in robot-led surveys, as shown in her highly cited 2022 paper (14 citations), which examines how elderly users handle interactional trouble with the robot "Pepper." Stommel has also made groundbreaking contributions to understanding gender attribution in robotics. Her 2024 study (6 citations) explores how users navigate a designedly gender-ambiguous robot, revealing that gender attribution is not just a linguistic issue but also tied to social action. Her 2025 follow-up (3 citations) deepens this analysis, showing how gender becomes relevant in real-time interaction. By applying rigorous conversation analysis to HRI, Stommel provides critical insights for designing more natural, inclusive, and socially aware robots. Her work is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of linguistics, social interaction, and robotics.